The proliferation of subscription television programming, the increasing number of available channels, and the corresponding increase in television programming have led to continued development of various features for systems that provide such programming. Subscription television programming has expanded from providing subscription packages including various sets of channels, to providing subscriptions to individual channels, such as movie channels, subscriptions to event packages, such as seasonal sports channels, and even video-on-demand (VOD) and pay-per-view (PPV) options that allow a subscriber to individually select single program events for viewing and/or recording.
The functionality of client devices has similarly expanded to provide various user interactive features, such as the ability to set timers to record programs, the ability to set user preferences, for example, for how information is displayed, and the ability to lock or otherwise control access to channels. Recent developments include the expansion of such features to remote task scheduling via the internet.
Many client devices are configured to receive programs and program information from one or more sources, generally referred to as the service provider or broadcast service. The programs and the program information may be provided to the client device via one or more communication channels. For example, in a cable broadcast system, the programs and the program information may be provided to the client device via a coaxial cable connected to an input of the client device. In a satellite broadcast system, the programs and the program information may be provided to the client device via a satellite dish that is connected to an input of the client device via a coaxial cable. Alternatively or additionally, the program information may be provided to the client device via a telephone line connected to another input of the client device. The connection to the telephone line may also provide a communication channel for feedback to the service provider, for example, regarding programs viewed via the client device, and/or for allowing pay programs to be ordered or purchased using the client device.